Within sea-freight containers there is often a temperature difference of about 10° C. to 15° C. with respect to the ambient temperature. Both the internal temperature within the container, and the ambient temperature, can rise quickly. Such temperature fluctuations can cause damage to the container contents, especially to perishable goods.
To prevent damage to the container contents, thermal insulation is required which slows the rate of change of the temperature within the container. Thick blankets of wool or similar material and plastic bubble material can be used to provide thermal insulation.
A sleeve like liner can be used as a thermal insulator which is inflated using a motorised fan or blower. Such an inflatable liner has the disadvantage that it can only be readily used where electric power is available.
Some liners are used where the walls of the liner are adhered to the walls of the container using double-sided tape, or hook-and-loop material. The effectiveness of such liners is reduced by the direct contact of the liner with the wall of the container. Owing to the direct contact between the liner and the container walls, heat is conducted from the walls to the insulation materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,979 discloses a bubble foil with a reflective surface. These types of bubble foil are bulky and heavy and cannot be effectively used in sea-freight containers.
All the above mentioned thermal insulation devices require a substantial amount of time for the installation of the insulator.
Thus, an object of the invention is to provide a thermal insulation device for use in sea-freight shipping containers, having improved thermal insulation properties, and being easier to install.